Vanadate selectively inhibits the Ko+-activated Na+ efflux in squid axons

In the squid axon Na+/Ca2+ exchanger the state of the Ca i-regulatory site influences the affinities of the intra- and extracellular transport sites for Na+ and Ca2+

In squid axons, intracellular Mg2+ reduces the activity of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger by competing with Ca2+ i for its regulatory site. The state of the Ca i-regulatory site (active-inactive) also alters the apparent affinity of intra- and extracellular transport sites. Conditions that hinder the binding of Ca2+ i (low pH i, low [Ca2+]i, high [Mg2+]i) diminish the apparent affinity of intracellular transport sites, in particular for Na i due to its synergism with H+ inhibition, but less noticeably for Ca2+ i because of its antagonism towards (Ha i + Na+ i) and Mg2+ i inhibitions. These are kinetic effects unrelated to the true affinity of the sites. With the Ca i-regulatory site saturated, the intracellular transporting sites are insensitive to [H+]i and to ATP. Likewise, the state of the Ca i-regulatory site (activated or inactivated) influences the affinity of the extracellular Ca o and Na o-transport sites (trans effects). In this case, the effects are opposite to those predicted by any of the transport schemes proposed for the Na+/Ca2+exchanger; i.e. its mechanism remains unexplained. In addition to their intrinsic importance for a full understanding of the properties of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, these findings show a new way by which the state of the Ca i-regulatory site may determine net movements of Ca2+ through this system.

Effect of intracerebroventricular vanadate administration on salt and water intake and excretion in the rat

The effect of vanadate (VO-3), an "in vitro" inhibitor of Na,K-ATPase activity, on sodium and water intake and excretion of Na-depleted and water deprived rats, was investigated. Injection of sodium orthovanadate Na3V04, H20 14) 1 microliter, 1.0 mM solution, 51 ng/microliter free base vanadium (V) into the 3rd brain ventricle (3BV) inhibited by 34% the sodium intake induced by peritoneal dialysis (PD). Urinary water and sodium excretion increased and potassium excretion decreased. The same concentration of vanadate administered by continuous infusion into the 3BV (1 microliter/hr, 24 hr, 51 ng/microliter, 1.2 micrograms/24 hr) during 24 hours after PD, decreased sodium intake by 69%. The same rate of infusion through the jugular vein failed to inhibit sodium intake or to increase urinary water and sodium excretion. Injections into lateral hypothalamus were also ineffective. Vanadyl (VO+2), the reduced form of vanadate, did not affect sodium intake. Similar or larger doses of vanadate injected into the 3BV of water deprived rats, did not modify water intake significantly. The present results suggest that the Na-K, active transport system is involved in salt and water balance regulation at the central nervous system level.

Vanadate and brain adenylate cyclase. Effect of spreading depression

The effect of vanadate on the adenylate cyclase activity of rat cerebral cortex homogenates is described. In the absence of ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), 10(-6)M vanadate inhibited enzyme activity by 23%, while 10 (-4) M and 10(-3) M stimulated the enzyme by 14 and 90%, respectively. In the presence of 0.2 mM EGTA, 10 (-6) M to 10(-3) M vanadate had only stimulating effects (18-450%). Additive effects of vanadate and noradrenaline on adenylate cyclase activity suggest different sites of action of these agents. Interaction of vanadate with both fluoride and guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate had an apparently competitive character. Adenylate cyclase maximally stimulated by fluoride (10 mM) was inhibited by vanadate. This inhibitory effect was more pronounced in the absence of EGTA. Adenylate cyclase in the homogenates from the rat cerebral cortex in vivo invaded by spreading depression was slightly increased (up to 38%). This effect was abolished by low (10 (-7) M) vanadate. The results suggest that brain adenylate cyclase is stimulated by vanadate via the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. The mechanism of vanadate's action, its modulation by calcium ions and the possible physiological role of these effects are discussed.

Minireview: physiological and pharmacological properties of vanadium

Vanadium is distributed extensively in nature. It is a trace element and is present in almost all living organisms including man. Even though vanadium was originally recognized for its ability to inhibit membrane Na+-K+-ATPase, various laboratory studies now document that this element has the capacity to affect the activity of various intracellular enzyme systems and may modify their physiological functions. Vanadium may be an essential element for normal development and may play an important role in various homeostatic mechanisms, and thus vanadium deficiency may prove to be an important concern. Abnormalities in biological disposition of vanadium may be involved in the pathogenesis of certain neurological disorders or cardiovascular diseases. While the essentiality of this element for living organisms is yet to be established with certainty, vanadium has become an increasingly important element and is used extensively in various heavy industries such as steel, oil, etc.; thus, the incidence of exposure to toxic levels of vanadium to industrial workers has been an increasing concern for toxicologists. To date, little information is available on the physiological or pharmacological actions of vanadium; hence, it is difficult to reach any definitive conclusion concerning its biological significance, essentiality and its role in pathological states. An attempt has been made in this review to broadly document what is known of various biological actions of vanadium.

Effect of vanadate on water transport by the toad bladder

Vanadate increases renal Na and water excretion. The mechanism whereby vanadate impairs water transport was examined in the toad bladder. Vanadate did not alter baseline water transport but caused a significant inhibition of water transport elicited by high doses of AVP. The inhibition of AVP stimulated water flow by vanadate was dose dependent with inhibition present with concentration as low as 10(-7) and maximal inhibition occurring at 10(-5) M. Vanadate also inhibited water transport stimulated by cyclic AMP or by phosphodiesterase inhibition indicating that vanadate has an effect beyond cyclic AMP step, in addition to whatever effect it might have on adenylate cyclase. The inhibitory effect of vanadate on AVP stimulated water flow was not altered by prior Na-K-ATPase or prostaglandin inhibition. Since vanadate has been shown to stimulate adenylate cyclase in other tissues we examined whether addition of vanadate 10 minutes after addition of AVP would enhance water transport. Vanadate caused a transient enhancement of AVP stimulated water flow. These data demonstrate that vanadate can inhibit or stimulate water flow in the toad bladder.

Vanadate uptake and inhibition of the sodium pump in perfused dog liver

Although vanadate is a potent inhibitor of the (Na + K)-ATPase, few in vivo effects directly related to the inhibition of the sodium pump have been reported. In order to demonstrate a possible inhibition of the hepatocyte sodium pump, vanadate was administered at millimolar concentration during perfusion of isolated dog livers. In contrast to the marked inhibition produced by ouabain in this preparation, vanadate seems ineffective as it modified neither the intra- or extracellular Na and K concentrations nor the membrane potential. Changes in these parameters suggestive of an inhibition of the sodium pump were only obtained when vanadate was administered after a reduction of the osmolarity of the perfusing fluid to 2/3 of its initial value. The effect of hypotonicity seems related to the cellular swelling it produces and not to changes in extracellular sodium concentrations: inhibition of the sodium pump is not obtained when part of the sodium chloride is replaced by sucrose without changing the osmolarity. As the uptake of Na3 48VO4 is markedly increased by the reduction of osmolarity, it is proposed that the intracellular concentration of vanadate does not reach the level necessary to inhibit the sodium pump due to the balance between uptake and inactivation, under normal conditions. Cellular swelling increases the membrane permeability allowing a higher concentration of vanadate and a subsequent inhibition of the sodium pump.

The effects of several ligands on the potassium-vanadate interaction in the inhibition of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and the Na+, K+ pump

Inhibition by vanadate of the K+-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity catalyzed by the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase partially purified from pig kidney showed competitive behavior with the substrate, K+ and Mg2+ acted as cofactors in promoting that inhibition. Ligands which inhibited the K+-dependent p-nitrophenyl phosphate hydrolysis (Na+, nucleotide polyphosphates, inorganic phosphate) protected against inhibition by vanadate. The magnitude of that protection was proportional to the inhibition produced in the absence of vanadate. In the presence of only p-nitrophenyl phosphate and Mg2+, or when the protective ligands were tested alone, the activation of p-nitrophenyl phosphate hydrolysis by K+ followed a sigmoid curve in the presence as well in the absence of vanadate. However, the combination of 100 mM NaCl and 3 mM ATP resulted in a biphasic effect of K+ on the p-nitrophenyl phosphate hydrolysis in the presence of vanadate. After an initial rise at low K+ concentration, the p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity declined at high K+ concentrations; this decline became more pronounced as the vanadate concentration was increased. This biphasic response was not seen when a nonphosphorylating ATP analog was combined with Na+ (which favors the nucleotide binding) or with inorganic phosphate (a requirement for K+ - K+ exchange). Experiments with inside-out resealed vesicles from human red cells showed that in the absence of Na+ plus ATP, K+ promoted vanadate inhibition of p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity in a nonbiphasic manner, acting at cytoplasmic sites. On the other hand, in the presence of Na+ plus ATP, the biphasic response of p-nitrophenyl phosphate hydrolysis is due to K+ acting on extracellular sites. In vanadate-poisoned intact red blood cells, the biphasic response of the ouabain-sensitive Rb+ influx as a function of the external Rb+ concentration failed to develop when there was no Na+ in the extracellular media. In addition, in the absence of extracellular Na+, external Rb+ did not influence the magnitude of inhibition. The present findings indicate that external K+ favors vanadate inhibition by displacing Na+ from unspecified extracellular membrane sites.

Incorporation of Na+ - Ca2+ antiporter and of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase into liposomes and demonstration of their non-identity

(Na+ + K+)-ATPase was isolated from the grey matter of brain and incorporated into liposomes. Most of the reconstituted enzyme was oriented 'inside-out' with respect to its in vivo orientation and externally added ATP promoted Na+ uptake that was inhibitable by internally trapped ouabain. Using the same proteoliposomes, an Na+ - Ca2+ exchange system was observed as indicated by the following pieces of evidence. (1) The Na+ gradient provided the only readily apparent driving force for acceleration of Ca2+ accumulation into proteoliposomes. (2) The antiporter was specific for Ca2+, high Mg2+ excess did not inhibit Ca2+ antiport. (3) The Na+ efflux was dependent on the extravesicular Ca2+ concentration. (4) The Na+ efflux was not inhibited by tetrodotoxin. The demonstrated Na+ - Ca2+ exchange could not be related to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase protein, since it was not purified with (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, as followed from transport studies with liposomes containing (Na+ + K+)-ATPase of different specific activity. The results strongly indicate that plasma membranes isolated from the grey matter of brain contain an Na+ - Ca2+ exchange system and that the proteoliposomes are suitable for further purification of the carrier molecule.

Vanadate inhibition of active Ca2+ transport across human red cell membranes

(1) Vanadate (pentavalent vanadium) inhibits with high affinity (K0.5 = 3 microM) the ATP-dependent Ca2+ efflux in reconstituted ghosts from human red cell. (2) To inhibit Ca2+ efflux vanadate has to have access to the inner surface of the cell membrane (3) The inhibitory effect of vanadate is potentiated by intracellular Mg2+ and by intracellular K+. (4) Ca2+ in the external medium antagonizes the inhibitory effect of vanadate.

The effects of vanadate on calcium transport in dialyzed squid axons. Sidedness of vanadate-cation interactions

(1) Vanadate (VO3-) fully inhibits the ATP-dependent uncoupled Ca efflux (Ca pump) in dialyzed squid axons. (2) Vanadate inhibits with high affinity. The mean apparent affinity (K 1/2) obtained was 7 microM. (3) Inhibition by vanadate is dependent on Cao. External Ca lead to a release of the inhibitory effect. (K 1/2 congruent to 3 mM). This antagonistic effect can be reverted by increasing the vanadate concentration. Internal K+ increases the affinity of the intracellular vanadate binding site. External K+ has no effect on the inhibition. (4) Vanadate has no effect on the Nao-dependent Ca efflux component (forward Na-Ca exchange) in the absence of ATP. In axons containing ATP vanadate modified this component.

An ATP-dependent sodium-sodium exchange in strophanthidin poisoned dialysed squid giant axons

1. Dialysed giant axons from the squid have been used to study some of the properties of the Na+ fluxes when the Na+ pump is fully inhibited by strophanthidin. 2. In axons which had been depleted of ATP, strophanthidin had no effect on Na+ efflux. Similar negative results were obtained in axons dialysed with and without internal or external K+, and with or without 100 microM-internal Ca2+. 3. In the presence of 60 mM-internal Na+, 440 mM-external Na+ and strophanthidin, the fluxes of Na+ had the following characteristics. (i) ATP stimulated an efflux and an influx of Na+ of similar magnitude. The K1/2 for ATP, measured from its effect on Na+ efflux, was about 200 microM. (ii) The non-hydrolysable ATP analogue adenylyl(beta, gamma-methylene)-diphosphonate (AMP-PCP), at 2 mM concentration, either alone or in combination with 2 mM-internal phosphate, failed to stimulate any efflux of Na+. (iii) The ATP-dependent Na+ efflux was not affected by removal of internal or external K+, or external Mg2+ or Ca2+, and was not dependent on internal Ca2+. (iv) within the resolution of the method, all the ATP-dependent Na+ influx required internal Na+, and all the ATP-dependent Na+ efflux required external Na+. From the magnitude of the unidirectional Na+ fluxes the stoichiometry seemed to be a 1 to 1 Na+--Na+ exchange. 4. The ATP-internal Na+-dependent influx of Na+ in the presence of strophanthidin was not affected by 1 mM-vandate in the dialysis solution, a concentration which fully inhibits the Na+ efflux through the Na+ pump that is activated by external K+. 5. In the presence of external Na+, the external K+ sites of the Na+ pump are completely saturated with 100 mM-external K+. In unpoisoned axons incubated with 100 mM-external K+, replacement of external Na+ with Tris+ produced no change in the efflux of Na+. However, in axons poisoned with 50 microM-strophanthidin, replacement of external Na+ with Tris+ resulted in a reversible inhibition of Na+ efflux. This could suggest that strophanthidin poisoning might induce Na+ (cations?) fluxes which are not present in normal conditions.

Sidedness of the effects of sodium and potassium ions on the conformational state of the sodium-potassium pump

1. (Na,K)ATPase from kidney membranes has been reconstituted into proteoliposomes following solubilization in cholate, by the freeze-thaw sonication procedure described by Kasahara & Hinkle (1977). The method is rapid and convenient.2. Upon addition of ATP to the exterior medium the reconstituted vesicles sustain high rates of active (22)Na uptake and (86)Rb efflux with many properties similar to those of the Na/K pump in well characterized cells such as erythrocytes.3. Observations on both active and passive transport of (22) Na and (86)Rb indicate that the vesicle population is heterogeneous; about 40 per cent contain Na/K pumps and the remainder seem to be plain lipid vesicles.4. The major Na(+)- or K(+)-stabilized non-phosphorylated conformational forms of the (Na, K)ATPase, E(1). Na and E(2). (K) respectively, have been investigated in the proteoliposomes, with particular regard to sidedness of the actions of Na(+) and K(+).5. Tryptic digestion of the vesicles reveals the Na(+)- and K(+)-stabilized conformations E(1). Na and E(2). (K) as characterized originally for purified (Na, K)ATPase (Jørgensen, 1975). Controlled trypsinolysis of Tris(+)-loaded vesicles in a Na(+)-or K(+)-containing medium leads to typical biphasic (Na(+)) or simple exponential (K(+)) time courses respectively, for loss of ATP-dependent (22)Na uptake (assayed subsequent to the tryptic digestion in the presence of inophores valinomycin plus FCCP). Tryptic digestion of K(+)- or Rb(+)- or Tris(+)-loaded vesicles suspended in a Na(+) medium results only in the biphasic (E(1). Na) pattern of loss of ATP-dependent (22)Na uptake.6. ATP-dependent (22)Na uptake and (86)Rb efflux are reduced by about the same extent following a short tryptic digestion in a Na(+)-containing medium.7. Vanadate ions inhibit ATP-dependent (22)Na uptake into the vesicles, at low concentrations (K(0.5) approximately 2 x 10(-7)m), following pre-incubation together with Mg(2+) and K(+) ions. K(+) ions in the medium are effective, K(+) ions within the vesicle are not. Na(+) ions in the medium prevent inhibition by vanadate+Mg(2+) but do not reverse inhibition in vesicles pre-incubated with vanadate, Mg(2+) and K(+) ions.8. The results show that the conformational forms E(1). Na and E(2). (K) are stabilized by Na(+) or K(+) ions respectively, bound to sites on the Na/K pump normally facing the cytoplasm. The significance of this finding is discussed in relation to the cation transport function of the pump.

Vanadate: non-selective inhibition of transepithelial transport of Na+, H+ and water

In the isolated urinary bladder of the toad, 10(-5)-10(-4)M orthovanadate produces inhibition of the active transport of Na+ and H+ ions as well as of antidiuretic hormone-mediated osmotic flow of water. Since transport of H+ ions and osmotic water flow are not inhibited when (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is inhibited by ouabain, biological actions of vanadate are not necessarily related to inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

Effects of vanadate in cultured rat heart muscle cells. Vanadate transport, intracellular binding and vanadate-induced changes in beating and in active cation flux

Cultured rat heart muscle cells have been used to study uptake and intracellular binding of Na483VO4 (vanadate), as well as the influence of vanadate on beating and 86Rb+ uptake of these cells. 1. Vanadate is taken up into cultured rat heart muscle cells in an energy-independent manner by a saturable transport system (Km approximately 60 microM, V approximately 200 pmol per mg protein per min at 37 degrees C). Analysis of intracellular binding of vanadate reveals a curved Scatchard plot indicating more than one binding site. Maximal binding amounts to 3 . 10(9) molecules of vanadate per cell. 2. Vanadate exerts a positive chronotropic and inotropic effect and increases automaticity. First effects can be seen at 1 . 10(-7) M Na3VO4. Concentrations higher than 1. 10(-3) M induce toxic effects (arrhythmias, fibrillation and stand-still of the cell). 3. Vanadate-induced alterations of beating is paralleled by a vanadate-induced stimulation of (86Rb+ + K+) uptake into the cells of up to 75%. Maximal stimulation is obtained at concentrations of 1 . 10(-4)--1 . 10(-3) M vanadate. The stimulation is thought to be due to an increased activity of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, since it can be inhibited by ouabain. This result is in contrast to in vitro experiments with purified membrane preparations of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase of different organs, where an inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by vanadate has been found. 4. The results indicate a possible role of vanadate as an endogenous regulator of active cation flux in heart tissue.

The effects of vanadate on the fluxes of sodium and potassium ions through the sodium pump

1. The effects of sodium orthovanadate on the fluxes of sodium and potassium (or rubidium) ions through the sodium pump have been investigated in intact human red cells and in resealed ghosts prepared from them. Sodium-potassium exchange, potassium-potassium exchange, pump reversal, sodium-sodium exchange and uncoupled sodium efflux have each been studied.2. When intact human red cells were incubated in high-sodium media containing vanadate in low concentrations, inhibition of potassium or rubidium influx was marked only if the potassium or rubidium concentration in the medium was sufficiently high to cause nearly maximal influx in the absence of vanadate. The absence of inhibition at lower potassium or rubidium concentrations cannot be explained by supposing that the onset of inhibition by vanadate is slower in these conditions.3. Lowering the extracellular sodium concentration, or raising the vanadate concentration, decreased the minimum concentration of extracellular potassium or rubidium at which inhibition by vanadate was detected.4. Experiments on potassium influx into intact red cells treated with the ionophore A23187 showed that magnesium ions act at intracellular sites to promote inhibition by vanadate.5. Measurements of potassium efflux from intact red cells incubated in high-sodium media, with or without potassium, showed that potassium-potassium exchange was inhibited by vanadate at low concentrations whereas reversal of the pump was not.6. Measurements of sodium efflux from intact red cells or resealed ghosts incubated in high-sodium media, with or without potassium, showed that vanadate had little or no effect on sodium-sodium exchange at concentrations at which sodium-potassium exchange was markedly reduced. Much higher concentrations of vanadate did cause partial inhibition of sodium-sodium exchange.7. Experiments to determine whether vanadate in low concentrations inhibited uncoupled sodium efflux were inconclusive, but suggested that the flux was inhibited. Measurements of the ATP hydrolysis that is thought to be associated with the uncoupled sodium efflux showed that this hydrolysis was strongly inhibited.8. The different effects of vanadate on the different fluxes are discussed, and related to the way in which vanadate is thought to act on the sodium pump.

Effect of noradrenaline and vanadium on Na+K+-activated ATPase in rat cerebral cortex synaptosomal preparation

The effect of l-noradrenaline and vanadate on the activity of Na+K+-activated ATPase was studied on synaptosomal brain cortex preparation. Using neutron activation analysis it was found that the rat cerebral cortex synaptosomal preparation contains 0.16 microM vanadium. The concentration of vanadium needed to reduce enzyme activity by 50% proved to be 2 x 10(-6) M. Evidence has been provided that the increase by noradrenaline of enzyme activity in synaptosomal preparation depends on the presence of an inhibitory contaminant in commercial ATP preparations. In homogenate, however, noradrenaline was able to enhance enzyme activity even when vanadium-free ATP was used. This fact indicates that noradrenaline removes the inhibitory effect of cytoplasmic factor thereby stimulating enzyme activity.

Vanadate inhibits uncoupled Ca efflux but not Na--Ca exchange in squid axons

Nerve cells can maintain a very low intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) against large Ca2+ electrochemical gradients (see ref. 1 for review). The properties of the calcium efflux from these cells depend on [Ca2+]i (ref. 2), and within the physiological range, most Ca efflux depends on ATP (which stimulates with high affinity) and is insensitive to Na1, Na0 and Ca0 (uncoupled Ca efflux). When the [Ca2+]i is well above the physiological range, Ca efflux becomes only partially dependent on ATP (acting now with low affinity), is inhibited by Nai and is stimulated by Na0 and Ca0 (Na--Ca exchange). Orthovanadate, a powerful inhibitor of the (Na+ + K+)ATPase and the Na pump, also inhibits the Ca-stimulated ATPase activity, which is the enzymatic basis for the uncoupled Ca pump, in human red cells. The experiments reported here show that in squid axons the ATP-dependent uncoupled Ca efflux can be fully and reversibly inhibited by vanadate, whereas concentrations of vanadate 10 times higher have no effect on the Na--Ca exchange. This is another indication that the uncoupled Ca efflux represents an ATP-driven Ca pump, and supports the suggestion that the uncoupled Ca efflux and Na--Ca exchange are mediated by different mechanisms.